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THURSDAY EDITION: Raw start to the day here on the island...Global warming has slightly slowed Earth's rotation — and it could affect how we measure time...Elon Musk Says 'Almost Anyone' Can Afford A $100,000 Ticket To Mars By Working And Saving — But 57% Of People Can't Cover A $1,000 Emergency

Open HT Surgery Gives Cheap Transceiver All-Band Capabilities

Watch out, Baofeng; there’s a new kid on the cheap handy talkie market, and judging by this hardware and firmware upgrade to the Quansheng UV-K5, the radio’s hackability is going to keep amateur radio operators busy for quite a while.

Like the ubiquitous Baofeng line of cheap transceivers, the Quansheng UV-K5 is designed to be a dual-band portable for hams to use on the 2-meter VHF and 70-centimeter UHF bands. While certainly a useful capability, these bands are usually quite range-limited, and generally require fixed repeaters to cover a decent geographic area. For long-range comms you want to be on the high-frequency (HF) bands, and you want modulations other than the FM-only offered by most of the cheap HT radios.

Luckily, there’s a fix for both problems, as [Paul (OM0ET)] outlines in the video below. It’s a two-step process that starts with installing a hardware kit to replace the radio’s stock receiver chip with the much more capable Si4732. The kit includes the chip mounted on a small PCB, a new RF choke, and a bunch of nearly invisible capacitors. The mods are straightforward but would certainly benefit from the help of a microscope, and perhaps a little hot air rework. Once the hardware is installed and the new firmware flashed, you have an HT that can receive signals down to the 20-meter band, with AM and SSB modulations, and a completely redesigned display with all kinds of goodies.

 

Next April’s total solar eclipse promises to be a scientific bonanza

Florida. April’s total solar eclipse promises to be a scientific bonanza, thanks to new spacecraft and telescopes and cosmic possibilities.

The Moon will be very close to the Earth, causing a long and intense period of darkness, and the Sun should be more active with the possibility of spectacular plasma explosions. Then there is the densely populated corridor of totality that stretches from Mexico to the United States and Canada.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of the tens of millions of viewers will act as citizen scientistshelping NASA and other research groups better understand our planet and our star.

They will photograph the Sun’s corona-shaped outer atmosphere, or corona, as the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, blocking out the Sun’s light for up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds on April 8. They will observe the stillness of the birds and other animals as the midday darkness falls. They will also measure falling temperatures, monitor clouds and use amateur radio to measure communications disruptions.

At the same time, rockets will lift off with scientific instruments toward the electrically charged portion of the atmosphere near the edge of space known as the ionosphere. The small rockets will lift off from Wallops Island, Virginia, about 400 miles from totality but with 81 percent of the Sun obscured in a partial eclipse. Similar launches were made from New Mexico during the solar eclipse of ring of Fire last October that devastated the western United States and Central and South America.

It’s time for the most important thing! It’s very exciting!!! said rocket mission manager Aroh Barjatya of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in an email.

NASA’s high-altitude jets will also fly again, chasing the Moon’s shadow with upgraded telescopes to study the solar corona and surrounding dust.

Dust sounds boringacknowledged Kelly Korreck, director of NASA’s eclipse program. But at the same time, this one is really interesting. Those are the remains from when the solar system was forming.

College students will launch more than 600 weather balloons along the runway, providing live feeds as they study atmospheric changes. Cloudy skies shouldn’t matter.

Luckily for us, balloons that fly at 80,000 feet or higher don’t care if it’s cloudy on the ground.said Angela Des Jardins, an astrophysicist at Montana State University who coordinates the nationwide project.

And if the Federal Aviation Administration approves, a 6.5-meter kite will lift a scientific instrument 5 kilometers above Texas in an experiment conducted by Shadia Habbal of the University of Hawaii. She also wants to overcome any clouds that might hinder her observations of the Sun.

The crown, hotter

Normally obscured by the Sun’s glare, the corona is revealed in its entirety during a total solar eclipse, making it a prime research target. The spiky tendrils emanating thousands of miles into space are disconcertingly hotter than the surface of the Sun, by millions of degrees, versus thousands.

Science still cannot explain how the corona heats up to such extreme temperaturessaid retired NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak, better known as Mr. Eclipse for his graphics and books on the subject.

The United States won’t see another total solar eclipse of this scale until 2045, so NASA and everyone else are doing everything they can.

The April eclipse will begin in the Pacific and make landfall in Mazatlán, Mexico, and pass through Texas and 14 other US states before crossing into Canada and emerging into the Atlantic in Newfoundland. Those outside the 185-kilometer-wide path will get a partial eclipse.

Scientists got a glimpse of what’s to come during the 2017 total solar eclipse that stretched from Oregon to South Carolina. This time, the Moon is closer to Earth, resulting in more minutes of darkness and a longer path.

Every time we can observe for longer, scientists get more dataKorreck said.

Another scientific advantage this time: the Sun will be just one year away from its maximum solar activity, unlike 2017, when it was close to its minimum. That means a lot more action on the Sun, possibly even a coronal mass ejection during the eclipse, with huge amounts of plasma and magnetic field launched into space.

Additionally, there are two new spacecraft studying the Sun: NASA and the European Space Agency’s Parker Solar Probe and NASA’s Solar Orbiter. They will join other eclipse spacecraft, including the International Space Station and its astronauts.

Closer to home, the April eclipse, unlike previous ones, will pass by three US radar sites typically used to monitor space weather. The stations will tune in to what’s happening in the upper atmosphere as the skies darken.

WEDNESDAY EDITION: eBay day this morning at the club, not sure what we will photo and box up today....

This year, International Marconi Day (IMD) is on April 27. Italian inventor and electrical engineer Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi was born on April 25, 1874, and is credited for inventing the radiotelegraph system, creating Marconi’s law, and sending the first wireless transmission over the open sea.

IMD was created to honor Marconi and is hosted annually by the Cornish Radio Amateur Club, GX4CRC. The purpose of the day is for amateur radio enthusiasts around the world to contact historic Marconi sites using communication techniques similar to those that he would have used.

The 24-hour event will operate from 0000 UTC to 2359 UTC, and registration is required. Participants can register at GX4CRC’s registration web page.

Read more – via American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources http://www.arrl.org/news/view/international-marconi-day-2024

The Long Strange Trip to US Color TV

We are always fascinated when someone can take something and extend it in a clever way without changing the original thing. In the computer world, that’s old hat. New computers improve, but can usually run old software. In the real world, the addition of stereo to phonograph records and color to photography come to mind.

But there are few stories as strange or wide-ranging as the path to provide color TV. And it had to be done in a way that a color set could still get a black and white picture and black and white sets could still watch a color signal without color. You’d think there would be a “big bang” moment where color TV burst on the scene — no pun involving color burst intended. But there wasn’t. Instead, there was a long, twisted path with many competing interests and ideas to go from a world in black and white to one tinted with color phosphor.

 

TUESDAY EDITION: March is going out like a lion here, no snow but cold, damp, windy, and raw out...Shipped out the Icom 718 to Florida this morning for $635 plus shipping, eBay still amazes me.....

Fulton County Amateur Radio Club ready to assist during April 8 total solar eclipse

FAYETTE, Ohio — Made up of over 70 full-time members and 200 overall, the Fulton County Amateur Radio Club is being called upon to be an assistant for local emergency medical services across the county on the day of the total solar eclipse.

Using amateur, or ham radios, to provide alternative radio frequencies, the group was founded in 1954 with the continuous goal of creating excitement about the hobby while also serving the communities of Fulton County.

But on April 8, the group is being called upon to help out.

"We've realized the large influx of people and the stress on communication and the resources within our own community," William McConnell, assistant police chief of the Fayette Police Department said. "So there's been many, many months of preparation that the EMA office has done."

That stress has resulted in the Fulton County Emergency Management Agency making the radio club a part of their plans for the eclipse. In fact, the two, along with the Fayette Police Department, went through training together on Saturday.

It's vital to club president Bryan Patterson that they are a part of the communication plans because with a heavy increase in expected population to the area, cell phone towers and other communication transmitters could be overwhelmed.

"If the current radio system would, god forbid, happen to go down, we can provide adequate communication for things like deploying ambulances and emergency runs and stuff like this," Patterson said.

Also for Patterson, this is a chance to remind Fulton County and all of northwest Ohio of just how important a simple radio can still be to daily life.

"We've been trying to integrate ourselves better into the community for public service events and get the name of amateur radio out there, and remind everybody that we are still a relevant part of communications and protection for the community," Patterson said.

The Hunt For Alien Radio Signals Began Sooner Than You Think

Every 26 months, Earth and Mars come tantalizingly close by virtue of their relative orbits. The closest they’ve been in recent memory was a mere 55.7 million kilometers, a proximity not seen in 60,000 years when it happened in 2003.

However, we’ve been playing close attention to Mars for longer than that. All the way back in 1924, astronomers and scientists were contemplating another close fly by from the red planet. With radio then being the hot new technology on the block, the question was raised—should we be listening for transmissions from fellows over on Mars?

Flashback to 1924, a time when the cosmos was less understood but no less marveled at. Earth and Mars were drawing near, and with that, an ambitious, albeit quaint by today’s standards, attempt to probe the Red Planet for signs of life was set into motion. It wasn’t with the sophisticated rovers or orbiters of the modern era. Instead, the plan was to keep out a listening ear for potential Martian radio broadcasts.

Grug Huhler] built a simple Tayloe mixer and detector on a breadboard. He decided to extend it a bit to be a full-blown software defined radio (SDR). He then used WSJT-X to monitor FT8 signals and found that he could pick up signals from all over the world with the little breadboard system.

A Raspberry Pi Pico generates a quadrature clock that acts as the local oscillator for the radio. All the processing of the input signal to a quadrature signal is done with a 74LV4052A, which is nothing more than an analog multiplexer. In principle, the device takes a binary number from zero to three and uses it to connect a common signal to one of four channels. There are two common lines and two sets of four channels. In this case, only half of the chip is in use.

An antenna network (two resistors and a capacitor) couples the antenna to one of the common pins, and the Pi generates two square waves, 90 degrees out of phase with each other. This produces select signals in binary of 00, 01, 11, and 10. An op amp and a handful of passive components couple the resulting signals to a PC soundcard, where the software processes the data. The Pi can create clocks up to about 15 or 20 MHz easily using the PIO.

The antenna is a 20-meter-long wire outside, and that accounts for some of the radio’s success. There are several programs than can work with soundcard input like this and [Grug] shows Quisk as a general-purpose receiver. If you missed the first video explaining the Tayloe mixer design, you can catch it below the first video.

 

MONDAY EDITION: What's new? I have a NIB Icom 718 on eBay and it is up to $600, wtf! Also a few other items that will end up netting me over $900, so off to the crack store later in the week and  pick up a Yaesu FT710 from the manager Dave at the Salem, NH HRO store....

I picked up two of these speakers, a lady gave them to me for helping her out with SK husbands ham gear. I finally plugged one in to my 7300 and compared with the Icom external speaker....no comparison, I put it back in the box and it will collect dust in the closet. I think they would be fine for an external speaker for a vhf/uhf radio in the truck but thats it...clear tone my ass! On a positive note, build quality good and only 20 bucks...

FCC launches crackdown on signal jammers sold by Amazon, others

Uh-oh, Amazon. Looks like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is not playing around when it comes to selling illegal signal jammers. The agency just went public with an investigation into Amazon and other major retailers for allegedly pushing these dodgy devices that can block your cell signal, GPS, and more.

Typically advertised as “drone deterrents” or “privacy tools”, these nefarious gadgets are specifically designed to block radio frequencies. This has serious ramifications, cutting off cellular devices and GPS units and impacting emergency communication channels.

REad more – Interesting Engineering: https://bit.ly/3PAzZam

 A Portable Unrestricted Digital Radio

RNode is an open source, unrestricted digital radio transceiver based on — but not limited to — the Reticulum cryptographic networking stack. It is another interesting project in what we might call the “Federated application” space in that it is intended to be used with no central controlling body. It can be used in a LAN or WAN context with the Reticulum network when operating in network adaptor mode, but it also has other use cases.

Essentially, RNode is a software project running on a LilyGO LoRa32 board wrapped up in a snazzy-looking 3D-printed case. Just make sure to grab a version of the board with an u.FL connector in place or somewhere to solder one. If it comes with an SMA connector, you will want to remove that. The device can be standalone, perhaps attached to a mobile device via Wi-Fi, but it needs to be hooked up to a laptop for the really interesting applications. When set to TNC mode, it can act as an APRS gateway, which allows you to access packet radio BBSs and all that fun stuff.

Other supported applications are Sideband and the Nomad Network, both LXMF clients for messaging over secure peer-to-peer networks. Finally, the LilyGo board is a LoRa device that can act as a general-purpose LoRa sniffer, useful for finding communication dead spots. One fun idea is the “bootstrap console,” accessible via any Wi-Fi-enabled RNode and contains the basic information needed to construct other RNode devices. This is hosted on the device, so no internet access is required. But you need access to the spare parts, tools, and something with a screen to read it on. Still, it’s an interesting concept enabled by modern embedded devices having plenty of storage on tap.

International Marconi Day 2024

This year, International Marconi Day (IMD) is on April 27. Italian inventor and electrical engineer Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi was born on April 25, 1874, and is credited for inventing the radiotelegraph system, creating Marconi's law, and sending the first wireless transmission over the open sea.

IMD was created to honor Marconi and is hosted annually by the Cornish Radio Amateur Club, GX4CRC. The purpose of the day is for amateur radio enthusiasts around the world to contact historic Marconi sites using communication techniques similar to those that he would have used.  

The 24-hour event will operate from 0000 UTC to 2359 UTC, and registration is required. Participants can register at GX4CRC's registration web page.  

Stations in the United States, including Marconi Cape Cod Radio Club, KM1CC, in Massachusetts, are already registering for the event. KM1CC hosts several on-air events each year to keep the accomplishments and story of Marconi and his wireless station site in South Wellfleet alive. In 1975, the Wellfleet station was listed as a National Historic Landmark on the National Register of Historic Places and is now part of Cape Cod National Seashore, a unit of the National Park Service. When possible, KM1CC sets up a temporary radio station inside the park. More information about KM1CC is available on their Facebook page.

FRIDAY EDITION: 24 and frigid here on Cape Ann...I will update later, going out for business

NEARFEST IS COMING UP SOON...April 25-26

Creating a Numbers Station Of Your Very Own

Numbers stations are a weird phenomenon where odd voices read out long strings of numbers or random codewords to the confusion of the vast majority of the listening audience. If you’ve ever wanted to build one of your own, you could follow the example of [AudioWanderer].

NumberMumble, as it’s called, is a numbers station emulator. It doesn’t signal spy networks or reveal national secrets. Instead, it randomly plays audio samples using an Arduino, including characteristic bursts of white noise that make it sound more authentic. It relies on the Mozzi library to help with audio tasks, including generating white noise and playing back samples. It’s also kitted out with a filter knob for varying the tone. Audio output is via PWM.

If you want to confuse your neighbours with oddball audio, put this thing on a radio transmitter and get broadcasting. But don’t, because that’s illegal without the proper licenses or — you know — if you happen to be a real spy.

Amateur Radio Newsline

FCC SETS RULES FOR CELLULAR-SATELLITE COVERAGE

PAUL/ANCHOR: Could a recent FCC action start narrowing the gap between cellular and satellite networks for mobile phone users? Kent Peterson KCØDGY looks into that question.

KENT: The communications industry calls it "supplemental coverage from space," or SCS. It is the ability of mobile phones to seamlessly tap into satellite service in remote areas where cellular communication is not available. That capability became more of a reality on the 14th of March when the Federal Communications Commission adopted rules that will guide the industry in making this possible.

In a prepared statement, FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said [quote] "“We won’t need to think about what network, where and what services are available. Connections will just work everywhere, all the time." [endquote] The FCC praised the new rules as setting the stage for a potentially life-saving service and called the new regulations the first of their kind for SCS.

The move comes as wireless companies begin signing collaboration deals with satellite operators to provide this kind of expanded coverage. Although Verizon does not yet have such a deal, companies in the US, such as AT&T and T-Mobile, each have one in place.

**
FCC QUESTIONS CELLPHONE SECURITY THREATS VIA SATELLITE

PAUL/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, the FCC has begun looking into whether any security threats are being created by US mobile phones having access to satellites that are operated by adversarial foreign countries. Only access to the Galileo GNSS system in Europe has been approved, however. As early as 2018 FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel has expressed concern that chips in US phones make them capable of operating with other nations' global navigation satellites; hence, the agency's concern.

(YAHOO FINANCE)

**
SRI LANKA CHOSEN TO HOST RADIO NETWORK CONVENTION

PAUL/ANCHOR: This year, it's Sri Lanka's turn to host a convention of radio operators specializing in emergency communication throughout southeast Asia. Jason Daniels VK2LAW has those details.

JASON: The Radio Society of Sri Lanka has been chosen to host the SEANET 2024 convention in September. SEANET, the South East Asia Amateur Radio Network, was created in 1964 on 20 metres to provide a means of emergency communication and to bring ham radio operators together in fellowship through daily on-air communication at 1200 UTC. Most of the amateurs participating reside in the region but check-ins take place from around the world.

SEANET's first convention was held in 1971 in Malaysia. Subsequent conventions have taken place in Australia, Thailand, China, Brunei, India, Singapore and other locales throughout southeast Asia.

Details about the event and its agenda will be available on the RSSL's website and social media channels.

**
IRTS GETS OK FOR HAREC EXAMINATIONS IN IRELAND

PAUL/ANCHOR: Hams in Ireland whose summer travel plans include their radios can plan on taking the Harmonised Amateur Radio Examination Certificate in May. Ireland's regulator has just received approval to give it, as we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: The Commission for Communications Regulation has given approval to the Irish Radio Transmitters Society to hold a HAREC examination for the certificate. Under the Harmonised Amateur Radio Examination Certificate, the successful completion of the exam means certificate holders may apply for a licence in another HAREC country without having to sit the local exam. This is true for both CEPT and some non-CEPT countries.

IRTS has scheduled the exam for Saturday the 11th of May in Dublin, with registration starting at 10:30 a.m. local time. It is hoped that an exam may also be offered in Kerry at the same time, subject to demand.

Interested amateurs need to apply in advance and should visit the IRTS website to download and complete the application form. It can be found under the header "Applying for an Exam."

**
SILENT KEY: CELEBRATED QRP'er DIETER GENTZOW, W8DIZ

PAUL/ANCHOR: The community of QRP operators has lost a well-known and influential member of its inner circle. We learn more about him from Travis Lisk, N3ILS.

TRAVIS: Dieter Gentzow, W8DIZ, was well-known in QRP circles, having carved out a reputation as both a leader and a mentor. Known by the nickname, Diz, he was a veteran of the United States Coast Guard and a founder of the Flying Pigs QRP Club International.

Diz died on the 3rd of March and was reported as a Silent Key on QRZ.com

He ran a popular business, kitsandparts dot com (kitsandparts.com) with his wife, Nancy. He was also well-known for leading the popular Buildathon at the Four Days in May event in the early 2000s during Dayton Hamvention and according to Brian, KB9BVN, another member of the Flying Pigs QRP group, [quote] "was a consummate designer and builder of all kinds of radio-related projects ranging from amplifiers, antenna tuners, transceivers and diagnostic gear aimed at the amateur radio builder [and] maker." [endquote] He had created a series of QRPp radio kits called the "1-watter" series, which he sold through his business.

Born in 1948, Diz was inducted into the QRP Hall of Fame in 2005.

This is Travis Lisk, N3ILS

(QRZ.COM)

**
BEACH DXPEDITION DOUBLES AS MOCK DISASTER DRILL

PAUL/ANCHOR: In India, two ham radio groups are getting ready for a DXpedition that doubles as a disaster drill. We hear about their plans from Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

JIM: Two amateur radio organisations in India are teaming up for a combination DXpedition and disaster drill on the weekend of March 29th to the 31st. Known as the Digha DXpedition, it will feature a mock disaster drill with radio operators from the Indian Academy of Communication & Disaster Management and the West Bengal Radio Club. The hams will be operating from Old Digha Beach in West Bengal and will be using the callsign VU2WB, the callsign of the West Bengal club, on 10, 20 and 40 metres, using SSB and FT8. This sea beach has suffered for years from coastal erosion and other damage as the result of natural and manmade forces. To help prepare hams for emergency response, this exercise has been scheduled to take place just weeks before the start of monsoon season in Ma

**
FUNCUBE AVAILABLE FOR QSOS AGAIN

PAUL/ANCHOR: The CubeSat known as AO-73 has put the fun back in FunCube. AMSAT reports that the transponder is back in action for amateur radio communication after a brief period of rest for its batteries. The satellite had been placed in safe mode on March 3rd, providing only low power telemetry. The popular educational CubeSat has been in orbit since 2013.

(AMSAT, AMATEUR RADIO WEEKLY)

**
LOW-POWER STATION GETS CITY'S LAST FM BROADCAST FREQUENCY

PAUL/ANCHOR: San Francisco's last remaining FM broadcast frequency for Low Power FM radio licensees has been assigned by the FCC to a local nonprofit independent station. Ralph Squillace KK6ITB tells us what happens next.

RALPH: The announcement on the website of BFF dot fm (BFF.fm) could not have had a more jubilant tone. The station, which provides listeners with music and talk programming exclusively on the Internet and through an app, has been given the go-ahead to operate on a low-power broadcast FM frequency.

According to a report on the website SFGate, the assignment of 104.9 FM leaves the city with no more unclaimed low-power FM frequencies. Writing on its blog, the station said that it still has some homework to do: among those assignments, determining its four-letter callsign and building a tower during the next three years. The FCC has given the station the right to broadcast over a limited area in the southwest area of the city, giving it access to an estimated 100,000 listeners.

The station, which was created in 2013, has said it will also maintain its online presence..

**
NOMINATE OUR NEXT YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR

PAUL/ANCHOR: At this time of year we ask our listeners to nominate a promising young radio amateur to become the Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year for 2024. Candidates must live in the continental United States and be 18 years of age or younger. Tell our judges about your nominee's talent, promise and commitment to the spirit of ham radio. This is your chance to help honor and acknowledge that person who will, no doubt, go on to teach and inspire others. Find the nomination form on our website arnewsline.org under the "AWARDS" tab. Nominations close on May 31st.

**
A CELEBRATION OF GERMANY'S AMATEUR RADIO LAW

PAUL/ANCHOR: In Germany, the spotlight is on the country's amateur radio law, which is marking its 75th anniversary. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us how hams are celebrating.

JEREMY: Amateurs in Germany are celebrating 2024 as the 75th anniversary of the country's amateur radio legislation, which took effect in March 1949, predating Germany's Basic Law and the creation of the Federal Republic itself, which took place that same year in May.

To mark the occasion, the German national society, the DARC is making an award available to any amateurs who contact 75 stations across all 24 regional districts until the end of April. One of those contacts must be with special event stations DP75AFUG, DL75AFUG or DL75AFUV. Shortwave listeners may also participate under the same rules.

Congratulations to our friends in Germany on this Diamond anniversary.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(DX NEWS, RADIO DARC)

PAUL/ANCHOR: For the full story behind this historic law and a fascinating account of how radio amateurs in Germany used ham radio creativity and house bricks to advocate for the law in Germany, see the Amateur Radio Newsline website. Under the tab that reads "Extra," you'll find the story in translation from the original German.

**

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, look out for the EI DX Group's DXpedition to Maseru, Lesotho. Operators are on the air as 7P8EI until the 29th of March on 160-10 metres. They are using CW, SSB and digital modes See QRZ.com for QSL details.

T32EU, a group of German DXpeditioners are operating from East Kiribati until the 27th of March despite several knock-backs. They are running three stations around the clock on 160 through 6 metres, using CW, SSB, FT8 and RTTY. For QSL details and the story so far check qrz.com.

Listen for the Camaguey DX Group using the callsigns T47C and CO9JAB from Cayo Romano, Cuba, IOTA Number NA-086, on the 29th and 31st of March. The team of 9 will be using CW, SSB and the digital modes on 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metres. QSL directly to IK2DUW. QSOs will be uploaded to LoTW.

Celebrate the 135th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower's formal inauguration by making a contact with Michel, F8GGZ. He will be using the special callsign TM135TE from the 24th to the 31st of March. QSL via the bureau.

Listen for Jean-Luc, F1ULQ, operating as TO1Q (TEE OH 1 Q) from Guadeloupe, IOTA Number NA-102, from the 25th of March to the 7th of April. Listen for his signal on the HF bands and 6 metres where he will be using SSB and FT8. He may be active as well on some satellites. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

**
KICKER: NOW, VOYAGER: PROBE IS POISED FOR A COMEBACK

PAUL/ANCHOR: We end this week by looking forward into deep space where NASA's Voyager 1 probe has suffered communication problems recently. Now, it seems, there is hope things can be fixed and communications can be restored. Neil Rapp WB9VPG takes us along on that voyage.

NEIL: Could the troubled deep-space probe Voyager 1 - which scientists had feared was failing - possibly have a second act after all? NASA had feared the worst when Voyager's transmissions began sending garbled data four months ago, suggesting problems had developed with the Flight Data Subsystem. On March 1st, NASA scientists tried something different: They transmitted a command prompt to direct the spacecraft to use different sequences in its firmware in case some corruption had occurred. The result was unexpected - a Flight Data Subsystem download that engineers were actually able to decode. They are now studying the data for clues to what may have happened.

Once the scientists solve the mystery behind what is troubling the mission, they will know if Voyager still has miles to go before its final sleep.

It's a moment of hope for NASA, which treasures the nearly 50 years of the Voyager mission. It's also a moment of some pride for one science journalist. She reported recently on the Voyager mission and its connections to the pioneering radio astronomer Frank Drake. The late radio astronomer, considered the father of the search for signs of life beyond Earth, is the father of that very same journalist, Nadia Drake. No doubt she is joining NASA in rooting for Voyager.

This is Neil Rapp WB9VPG.

THURSDAY EDITION: Wicked cold out at 6am and small droplets of hail on the lawn, you have to love New England.... March 19, 2024 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been selected by DARPA to further develop the concept of building a moon-based railroad network ...

NEW TECH: Designed to surpass the current Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) standard by leveraging modern, super-cheap Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) transceivers rather than standard FM units. The project is in the early stages, but as of this writing, there is a full open source software stack and reference hardware for both Raspberry Pi-based gateway devices and an STM32-based mobile device.

From a radio perspective, CATS uses raw FSK rather than the inefficient AFSK used by APRS. A real killer for channel utilization is the PTT time; this is the dead time around a packet APRS requires for ‘keying up’ and ‘keying down.’ The CATS standard is aggressive with PTT timing, enabling the channel to get going on sending the data sooner.

Additionally, compared to APRS, the packet baud rate increases from 1200 baud to 9600 baud. Other key points are using LDPC encoding for forward error correction and data whitening (a useful PDF guide from Ti) to smooth over any burst errors.

One of the neat concepts of APRS is the APRS-IS (APRS Internet service). This enables amateur radio services to be connected over the Internet, vastly improving range. The CATS equivalent is called FELINET (if you’re not spotting all the ‘cat’ references by now, go and get another coffee). Together with the I-gate hardware, FELINET bridges the CATS radio side with the current APRS network. As FELINET expands to more than the current few dozen nodes, APRS services will no longer be required, and FELINET may well replace it. Interestingly, all software for FELINET, the APRS relay, and the I-Gate firmware are written in Rust. We told you learning Rust was going to be worth the effort!

On the reference hardware side of things, the CATS project has delivered a Raspberry Pi hat, which uses a 1 watt RF4463 transceiver and supporting passives. The design is about as simple as it can be. A mobile transceiver version uses an STM32 micro to drive the same RF4463 but with supporting power supplies intended to run from a typical automotive outlet. Both designs are complete KiCAD projects. Finally, once you’ve got some hardware in place and the software installed, you will want to be able to debug it. CATS has you covered with an RTL-SDR I-Gate module, giving you an independent packet log.

APRS is quite mature, and we’ve seen many hacks on these pages. Here’s an earlier APRS IGate build using a Raspberry Pi. Need to hook up your PC to a cheap Chinese transceiver? You need the all-in-one cable. As with many things amateur-radio-oriented, you can get  https://hackaday.com/2024/03/15/cats-a-new-communication-and-telemetry-system/

We picked up a shortwave receiver known as the “stressless” receiver kit. We aren’t sure if the stress is from building a more complicated kit or operating a more complicated receiver. Either way, it is an attractive kit that looks easy to build.

Presumably to reduce stress, the VFO and receiver boards are already built, so assembly is just a few hours connecting large components and boards. As kits go, this is a fairly simple one. We were surprised to read that the supplier says you can’t upgrade the firmware. We, of course, wonder if that’s true.

For technical specs, the receiver is AM only and can operate from 100 kHz to 30 MHz. It uses a double conversion with intermediate frequencies of 21.4 MHz and 455 kHz. There’s a BNC connector on the back, and the radio requires 11 to 15V on the input. Apparently, the frequency generator inside is an SI5351. The sensitivity and selectivity numbers look very good for an AM radio.

We were surprised to see the radio didn’t have provisions for SSB since AM-only makes it not as useful for hams or others interested in non-broadcast transmissions. If we are doing our conversions correctly, the kit is fairly pricey, too, especially considering that it is AM only.

EBAY WEDNESDAY EDITION: I believe we will be boxing up the Yaesu 920 and Icom 735 today for sale for the club repeater fund.....next week may be the Yaesu  VL-1000/VP-1000 QUADRA SYSTEM amplifier, complete with original boxes, stay tuned....This looks like an interesting radio, FT8,SSB, CW right out of the box, no computer needed, priced reasonable, high reviews, $399...

Description:
An Integrated 25 watts Hybrid SDR based on Raspberry Pi with open source software and open source hardware designed by VU2ESE and manfactured by HFSignals. The radio is available fully assembeld and tested. - 7 inch capacitive display, function knob and tuning knob - Runs FT8, SSB, CW, RTTY, PSK31 and others out of the box (no computer required) - Compact 10?x 6?x 2? size, slips into the backpack - Raspberry Pi inside, all preconfigured software & source code on-board - Hackable, tinkerable, scriptable - Integrates logging, logbook, spotting in one compact box - High Performance Hybrid SDR with passive front-end - Brick wall crystal filter 8 crystals - Fully electronic T/R and band switching - Open source, documented - Powered it from an external 11.1v LiPo batteries for field ops

WTF: An at-home DNA testing kit for dogs claimed that human saliva returned various dog breed results — and when pressed, the firm held firm.   STORY

As Boston's WBZ-TV reports, the Toronto-based DNA My Dog company told not one but two humans who sent cheek swabs in that their results contained dog DNA, calling into question the accuracy of its tests.

The dog DNA debacle began last fall, when the local broadcaster reported that a New Hampshire woman decided to do an informal experiment, sending in a sample from her own cheek saliva without telling the company just to see what would happen. The company claims it sequenced her genome and found that she was 28 percent bulldog, 40 percent border collie, and 32 percent cane corso.

 

TUESDAY EDITION: I listed the IC718 on eBay and within 6 hours it was $335, although you pay a commission you get a lot more than at a bottom feeder hamfest or Craigslist....Off to the doctor this morning for a little skin surgery to remove a tick bite and back in time to pickup the dog from the groomer, its tick season early so I keep the springer short haired so I can find the little bastards....

Elon Musk Predicts A 'Universal High Income' As Jobs Are Phased Out And Employment Becomes Obsolete — It'll Be 'Somewhat Of An Equalizer'

Elon Musk made some striking predictions about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on jobs and income at the inaugural AI Safety Summit in the U.K. in November.

The serial entrepreneur and CEO painted a utopian vision where AI renders traditional employment obsolete but provides an “age of abundance” through a system of “universal high income.”

“It’s hard to say exactly what that moment is, but there will come a point where no job is needed,” Musk told U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. “You can have a job if you want to have a job or sort of personal satisfaction, but the AI will be able to do everything.”

While admitting this prospect may not make “people comfortable,” Musk seemed optimistic about what he termed a “protopian” AI-driven future.

“I think everyone will have access to this magic genie, and you’re able to ask any question. It’ll be certainly bigger for education. It’ll be the best tutor,” he said. “And there will be no shortage of goods and services. It will be an age of abundance.”

Musk’s concept of “universal high income” appears to be an evolution of the universal basic income (UBI) idea supported by other tech leaders like Sam Altman.

“We won’t have universal basic income. We’ll have universal high income,” Musk said, though he did not explicitly define the difference. “In some sense, it’ll be somewhat of a leveler, an equalizer.” It's worth noting this isn't the first time Musk addressed the topic. In 2018, he posted on X: "Universal income will be necessary over time if AI takes over most human jobs."  STORY

MONDAY EDITION: Gloomy start to the day, I have to box and eBay an Icom 718 this morning at the club. I am picking up a Yaesu 710 this weekend from a local ham, only a few months old. I thought a radio with a direct plug in monitor would be fun to try....

World Amateur Radio Day April 18, 2024

World Amateur Radio Day is the day when IARU Member Societies can show our capabilities to the public and enjoy global friendship with other Amateurs worldwide.

For 2024, the IARU is very pleased to adopt the theme of: “A Century of Connections: Celebrating 100 years of Amateur Radio Innovation, Community, and Advocacy”.

IARU celebrates its centenary in 2025. Since its founding in Paris, France, IARU has worked tirelessly to promote innovation in amateur radio and to encourage the growth of the service in communities throughout the world.

IARU has represented the Amateur Services at international and regional regulatory bodies by relying on our volunteers who come from many countries and communities. IARU has been a sector member of the ITU since 1932 and the work of our volunteers has continued since that date with unmatched success; as was highlighted with the accomplishments at WRC-23.

Leading up to our centenary year, we should take time to reflect on the remarkable achievements of radio amateurs over the last 100 years. While the Amateur Services have been in operation for over a century, 1924 was the first year that intercontinental amateur communication became more or less commonplace. Since that time radio amateurs have made unparalleled advances in technology related to the  Amateur Services that play a critical role today in sustaining world-wide communications and allow us to respond to global emergencies. 

World Amateur Radio Day is an opportunity to reflect on our achievements since 1924. We should celebrate our diverse community and the advances and innovations we have made as we look forward to celebrating the IARU centenary next year.

WEEKEND EDITION: Boiled dinner on the stove, one of my favorite meals...when I was young I used to go in and celebrate with my Southie Irish cousins, those were the memorable hangover days. I think I had fun....

Joe and his lovely wife Linda drive down from NH and picked up a Kenwood amplifier we had for sale and stayed long enough to have a nice lunch at a local restaurant on the harbor. Nice to finally meet Linda!...

2024 ARRL Field Day Theme: Be Radio Active

The theme for 2024 ARRL Field Day is "Be Radio Active." The event will run on June 22 - 23, and it will be one-part contest, one-part emergency communications exercise, and one-part open house -- and a great time. The theme encourages radio amateurs to take advantage of the peak of Solar Cycle 25, which we are nearing. Activity this year is likely to be extremely high thanks to favorable solar conditions. The upper HF bands, such as 15 and 10 meters, should benefit most from the Cycle's peak.

There are resources available already for clubs and individuals to make their Field Day plans. ARRL will publish more information and tools so that hams can make the most of the event as it draws near. Amateurs interested in learning more are invited to join the Field Day Facebook group to connect with others who are planning for the big weekend.  

Find links to all of the resources on the ARRL Field Day web page at www.arrl.org/field-day.

Propagation de K7RA

Six new sunspot groups appeared over the past reporting week, March 7-13, and one more on March 14.

The first group emerged on March 7, two more appeared on March 12, and three more on March 13.

Solar activity was down. Average daily sunspot number went from 106.7 to 82.3, and solar flux from 147.4 to 130.4. Geomagnetic indicators were somewhat quieter, with average daily planetary A index dropping from 10 to 8.9, and middle latitude A index from 8 to 7.

The Vernal Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere is on Wednesday, March 20 at 0306 UTC. This marks a transition to Spring HF conditions, always a positive effect.

I am not certain where we are in Solar Cycle 25, perhaps near the peak, or the max could be next year.

Solar activity seems to be in the doldrums recently, and of course we will only know when the peak has occurred six to twelve months after it happens. This is because the official smoothed sunspot number is a one year average. This erases lots of noise in the graphic representation due to daily variations in sunspot numbers.

The outlook for the next few weeks shows continued low numbers, with predicted solar flux at 135 on March 15-17, then 140, 145, 150 and 155 on March 18-21, 135 on March 22-23, then 132, 130, 132 and 138 on March 24-27, 140 on March 28-29, then 142, 140, 135, 130 and 128 on March 30 through April 3, and 125 on April 4-8, then 122, 118, 122, 125, 122, 127 and 130 on April 9-15, then 135 on April 16-19.

Predicted planetary A index is 12, 8 and 8 March 15-17, 5 on March 18-27, then 10 and 8 on March 28-29, 5 on March 30 through April 2, and 12 on April 3-5, then 5, 10, 8 and 8 on April 6-9, then 5 on April 10-23.

"Weekly Commentary on the Sun, the Magnetosphere, and the Earth's Ionosphere - March 14, 2024.

"In the last seven days, there were repeated situations where we expected a CME to hit the Earth's magnetic field (while a weak G1 class geomagnetic storm was predicted by NOAA), but there have been at most only isolated upswings, with the planetary K index at 4. The active region AR3599 returned to the solar disk, but it was much smaller and less active than during the last solar rotation. It produced at least a strong M7.4 class solar flare on March 10 at 1213 UTC.

"Shortly after AR3599 sets behind the southwestern limb of the solar disk, the former AR3590 rises in the northeast. According to helioseismological observations, it remains the largest of all on the Sun's far side. Its activity will have a decisive influence on the evolution of shortwave propagation around the approaching equinox.

"Thirty-five years ago, at the peak of Solar Cycle 22, a powerful CME hit our planet. It happened on March 13, 1989, and within 90 seconds, the entire Hydro-Quebec power grid was knocked out. The outage lasted nine hours, millions of Quebecois were without light and heat, and nine months later, the affected area experienced a significant increase in birth rates. The treachery consists in inducing direct currents into the lines, to which the transformers in the alternating current grid offer little resistance.

"On March 13, 1989, the biggest storm of the space age occurred. But the bigger one was the 'Carrington Event' of September 1859. It produced a storm twice as powerful as the one mentioned in March 1989. It later turned out that the cause was not one, but two CMEs, and came from the X4.5 eruptions of March 10 and M7.3 of March 12.

"F. K. Janda, A.R.S. OK1HH."

NASA-funded team of scientists discovered long-lasting radio signals:

https://bit.ly/48VrH3F

Sunspot cluster responsible for monster flare spotted on far side of the Sun:

https://bit.ly/3IDA5Kc

Recent videos from Dr. Tamitha Skov, WX6SWW:

https://youtu.be/2nWLAYL01FA

https://youtu.be/v4wf-EjTN4k

Send your tips, reports, observations, questions and comments to k7ra@arrl.net.

For more information concerning shortwave radio propagation, see http://www.arrl.org/propagation and the ARRL Technical Information Service web page at, http://arrl.org/propagation-of-rf-signals. For an explanation of numbers used in this bulletin, see http://arrl.org/the-sun-the-earth-the-ionosphere.

Amateur Radio Newsline Report

**
DISCARDED "SPACE JUNK" FROM ISS FALLS TO EARTH WITHOUT INCIDENT

JIM/ANCHOR: Our top story concerns debris from a massive package of batteries discarded by the International Space Station. It had been projected to hit parts of Europe. Thankfully it didn't. Here's Travis Lisk N3ILS with a more detailed report.

TRAVIS: Tossed from the International Space Station in 2021, nine batteries weighing a total of 2.6 metric tonnes re-entered Earth's atmosphere on Friday, the 8th of March, in free-fall, crashing into the Atlantic Ocean between Guatemala and Florida.

In the days and weeks prior, the impending arrival of the so-called "space junk" set off alarms in various parts of Europe, including Germany and Luxembourg, with predictions being made of the damage the debris might do if any of it arrived in populated areas there.

The European Space Agency's Space Debris and Independent Safety Offices provided updates to its member states throughout the day. In Bonn, Germany, the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief, National Warning Center alerted the public to the possibility of hearing a sonic boom or seeing luminous phenomena overhead.

At the time of the battery pack's release, it was considered the largest object to be tossed from the ISS.

This is Travis Lisk, N3ILS.

(ESA, SPACE.COM)

**

ULTRA-SMALL SATELLITE HAS AMATEUR RADIO CAPABILITY

JIM/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, just a few days earlier, a few dozen satellite were sent into space and among them was an ultra small CubeSat available for amateur radio use. Andy Morrison K9AWM tells us about it.

ANDY: Weighing just 1.3 kg, the small satellite known as Ectobius was launched on the 4th of March in California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 to conduct radar detection of the Earth. It will also provide amateur radio access.
The creators, Care Weather and the Brigham Young University Spacecraft Club, are calling this the smallest satellite radar system ever in orbit. CareWeather said it is the first in its fledgling series of weather satellite precursors. Ectobius, a 1U CubeSat, was among 53 payloads on board SpaceX's Transporter-10.

The university club will be coordinating the sharing of amateur radio activity. Hams will be able to use the CubeSat as a mailbox, digipeater and telemetering station if they wish to study CubeSat thermals.

According to the CareWeather and BYU club website, Ectobius is expected to have an orbital life of three years, although the duration of its scientific mission is only two months.

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(SATNEWS.COM, CAREWEATHER.COM)


**
GERMANY'S N-CLASS LICENSE HOLDERS TO GET "DN9" CALLSIGNS

JIM/ANCHOR: The German regulator has announced that the callsign designation for the new, entry level "N" class license that takes effect on the 21st of June will be DN9 - which adds a numeral to the previously announced "DN" prefix. This is expected to have a capacity of more than 18,000 callsign assignments available. The first examinations the "N" class license will take place on the weekend of June 28th at "Ham Radio Friedrichshafen." The license conforms to CEPT specifications for an entry level licence.

(FUNK TELEGRAMM)

**

**
SILENT KEY: ENGINEER DANNY HAMPTON, K4ITL, 2009 HAMVENTION AMATEUR OF THE YEAR

JIM/ANCHOR: A North Carolina amateur who was named Hamvention Amateur of the Year in 2009, has become a Silent Key. Danny Hampton, K4ITL, was considered an old-school radio operator who was the architect of the Piedmont Coastal Repeater Network created in the early 1970s.

Danny had been a longtime engineering contractor for the Capitol Broadcasting Company where, for WRAL-TV in North Carolina, he would often climb a TV tower to troubleshoot or conduct repairs. According to his obituary, he made his last climb in October of 2023. Danny, who was legally blind, was honored at Hamvention in 2009 as a driving force behind the Southeastern Repeater Association and the Piedmont Coastal Repeater Network. Licensed at the age of 12, he was described in his obituary as a keen problem-solver with a talent for fixing two-way radios, HF radios and repeater systems.

In a YouTube video, members of the Piedmont Coastal Repeater Network 2 meter net can be heard during a tribute to him. According to net control Charles Murray, KI4DCR, "there will be no final call because we will never forget him." [endquote} Danny, who died on February 28th, was 79.

(WRAL TV, NORTH CAROLINA AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS GROUP)

**

HAMVENTION ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS FOR 2024

JIM/ANCHOR: The awards chairman of Hamvention has announced the names of those chosen to receive awards this coming May in Xenia, Ohio. We learn who they are from Mark Abramowicz N3TV.

MARK: Three prominent US radio operators and an international club for YLs are being honored during Hamvention for their achievements and contributions to amateur radio. Their names were announced recently in a press release and on social media by awards chair Michael Kalter, W8CI.

The special achievement award is being given to top contester, QRP operator and ham radio educator Anthony Luscre, K8ZT. The Ohio ham has shared his expertise with countless other hams, leading numerous workshops at Contest University, the QSO Today Expo and at Dayton Hamvention itself. His achievements include numerous first-place finishes at the world and US levels in the CQ Worldwide SSB and CW QRP contests.

ARRL license manual author Ward Silver, NØAX, is to receive the Technical Achievement Award. Trained as an electrical engineer, Ward has been the lead editor for the ARRL Handbook and the Antenna Book and has written numerous study guides. A two-time recipient of the Bill Orr Technical Writing Award, Ward's long-running monthly column that once appeared in QST magazine is now in book format. A cofounder of the World Radiosport Team Championship, Ward was inducted into the CQ Contest Hall of Fame in 2015.

Michigan amateur Edward Engleman, KG8CX, is Dayton’s Amateur of the Year. A cofounder of the Young Amateurs Communications Ham Team, or YACHT, Ed is a strong advocate for youth in amateur radio. With a background in public school education, Ed has helped young amateurs get involved in presentation to other youth at events such as Hamcation and Hamvention. According to the press release [quote] "Ed is proud to be part of the future of amateur radio by paying forward his interest in amateur radio by developing the next generation of hams." [endquote]

The Young Ladies' Radio League, the YLRL, has been chosen Club of the Year. The honor comes during the 85th anniversary of this international group that fosters friendships, assists in helping newcomers and organizes contests. The group has also provided assistance in emergencies.

Congratulations everyone. Hamvention will be held in Xenia, Ohio, from May 17th to May 19th.

This is Mark Abramowicz N3TV.

**
YASME FOUNDATION PRESENTS SUPPORTING GRANTS, AWARDS

JIM/ANCHOR: The Yasme Foundation has announced the latest round of grants and awards. Kevin Trotman N5PRE brings us up to date on the deserving recipients.

KEVIN: Two ham operators have been named recipients of the Yasme Foundation's Excellence Award, which honors groups or individuals for their significant contributions at the technical, operating or organizational level. The latest awards are being given to Philip Gladstone, N1DQ, and Paul Schreier, HB9DST. Philip maintains the PSKReporter.info website, also known as the Digimode Automatic Propagation Reporter, which he created. His work has contributed much to ionospheric research through citizen science. "The Gladstone Signal Spotting Challenge" bears his name.

Paul Schreier is a steadfast promoter of Summits on the Air and CW operations. He is a board member of the Helvetia Telegraphy Club for CW enthusiasts in Switzerland and an organizer of various amateur radio events.

The foundation's board also announced a $5,000 grant each to the Foundation for Amateur Radio and ARRL Foundation scholarship programs.

Supporting grants of undisclosed amounts were given to Contest University at Dayton; the YOTA/HamSci Hamvention activities.

The Yasme Foundation also provided a grant of an undisclosed amount to Merzuke Gediktas, TA7YLY. The foundation has provided the funds to help her promote amateur radio in Turkey, particularly to women and girls.

Earlier this year, the foundation gave a $7.500 supporting grant to the organizing committee of the World Radiosport Team Championship which will take place in 2026 in England.

This is Kevin Trotman N5PRE.
**

NOMINATE OUR NEXT YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR

JIM/ANCHOR: We're asking our listeners to nominate a promising young radio amateur to become the Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year for 2024. Candidates must live in the continental United States and be 18 years of age or younger. Tell our judges about your nominee's talent, promise and commitment to the spirit of ham radio. This is your chance to help honor and acknowledge that person who will, no doubt, go on to teach and inspire others. Find the nomination form on our website arnewsline.org under the "AWARDS" tab. Nominations close on May 31st.

**
FCC CHARGES LANDLORDS WITH SUPPORT OF RADIO PIRACY

JIM/ANCHOR: Empowered by a law that broadened its enforcement abilities concerning pirate radio, the FCC has taken action against two landlords. We have more from Sel Embee KB3TZD.

SEL: Two property owners in the United States have received notices of illegal pirate radio broadcasting from the Federal Communications Commission, warning them that agents have traced illegal broadcast signals to their addresses.
In response to a complaint the FCC received in 2022, Charles Wyatt of Greenville, South Carolina, was sent the so-called "pirate letter," indicating that agents confirmed that signals were being transmitted on 87.9 MHz from his property. The FCC stated there are no license records for broadcast operations at that site. According to a story in Radio World, the FCC did not explain why it took no action during the two years since the complaint was made.
Separately, a property owner in Maplewood, New Jersey received a similar letter which followed investigations of a complaint about illegal broadcasting on 91.7 MHz. The FCC confirmed that the property owner is Somerset Maplewood LLC and that, likewise, there are no records of a broadcast license on file.
Under the PIRATE Act, which became law in 2020, third parties who permit such illegal broadcasts can be fined a maximum of $2.4 million. The FCC however, is not empowered to collect penalties. Collection is referred to the US Department of Justice.
The act's acronym stands for Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement.

This is Sel Embee KB3TZD.

(FCC, RADIO WORLD)

**
ARDC GRANT BOLSTERS NEW EMERGENCY RESPONSE NETWORK

JIM/ANCHOR: A recent grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications is helping a club effort led by an Indiana father and son to develop an emergency-response network of clubs that focuses on flexibility. Our own Paul Braun, WD9GCO, who is president of one of those clubs, explains:

PAUL: We recently reported that the ARDC was accepting grant applications again. This time we’re going to share a success story with the recent recipient of one of those grants.

Chris Lattimer, N9MMR, and his 13-year-old son Tavas, KD9NSC, have been building a new club tied to a fire department in their town and building an emergency communications network tied to another established regional club that meets at a first-responder training facility. I spoke to Lattimer about the project:

LATTIMER: Essentially we’ll have two locations, each outfitted with radios for HF/VHF/UHF capabilities. Each location can be turned into an emergency operations center, and then we have all of the people through both clubs and facilities trained to use those radios.

PAUL: Lattimer’s plan is to enlist new hams from public-service facilities and coordinate between them and the clubs:

LATTIMER: The Northwest Indiana Amateur Radio Partnership is a conjunction of the Ogden Dunes Amateur Radio Club and the Porter County Amateur Radio Club coming together to support emergency communication, to facilitate public safety communications and to promote the advancement of education in wireless technology through amateur radio.

PAUL: The partnership plan has real benefits for all involved -- and a small network like this brings an enhanced flexibility that isn't just an asset to the hams involved, but a vital resource for the community.

For Amateur Radio Newsline and the Porter County Amateur Radio Club, I'm Paul Braun WD9GCO.

**
IOTA PUBLISHES ITS HONOR ROLL FOR CHASERS

PAUL/ANCHOR: The Islands on the Air awards program has published its honor roll of chasers. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us about that list.

JEREMY: Seven hundred and forty-five callsigns from around the world are listed on the newly released Honour Roll of the Islands on the Air awards progamme, now in its sixtieth year. This annual list is published to recognise top chasers whose verified scores meet or exceed 50 percent of the total of numbered IOTA groups. Those totals do not include provisional numbers.

The top radio operator listed in the Honour Roll for 2024 is 9A2AA in Croatia, with a score of 1,133. The second and third spots, respectively, are held by two stations in Italy: I2YDX with 1,132; and I1JQJ with 1, 131.

Islands on the Air is administered in partnership with the Radio Society of Great Britain. There are an estimated 1,200 designated IOTA ocean island groups within the awards programme.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(IOTA)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, be listening for Stefan, DL7AOS, operating holiday style as 5P5K from Romo Island, Denmark, IOTA Number EU-125, between the 23rd of March and the 6th of April. Stefan may also participate in the CQ WW WPX SSB Contest. He will operate SSB and digital modes on 80-6 metres. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

Listen for Chris, VK2YUS, who is using the callsign YJØCA from Port Vila, IOTA Number OC-035, Vanuatu (VANN-OO-AHH-TU) until the 21st of March. He is operating on SSB on 40-10 metres, mainly between 2100 UTC and 1000 UTC. QSL direct to his home call.


**
KICKER: AT THIS LIBRARY, CHECK OUT HAM RADIO AS WELL AS BOOKS

JIM/ANCHOR: We end this week's report with a visit to the library - in this case a branch library in Madison County, Mississippi, where the community is able to check out books, CDs and movies. This time, they were checking out amateur radio. Randy Sly W4XJ takes us there.

RANDY: The hams who belong to the Jackson Amateur Radio Club are a veritable living library of information about getting on the air, so what better place to share their knowledge with the community than at the local library itself? On Saturday morning, March 2nd, it was story time and members including Clay, AC5Z, Mike K5XU, Rick, N5ZNL and Frank, K4FMH, shared their personal narratives as CW ops, builders, satellite chasers and experimenters. There were no cloak-and-dagger mystery stories here. This session, the first in a series, was designed to demystify what amateur radio is all about. The quarterly program is called Get S.M.A.R.T. - for Saturday Morning Amateur Radio Time.

The hams' involvement with the library doesn't end with these quarterly sessions for the community. The club is also hoping to help at least one library staffer at each branch to get a license and perhaps set up a ham station as well on the premises. Frank wrote in a March 5 post on his blog: [quote] "It underscores the interest by libraries to catalyze their STEM programming efforts." [endquote]

The next Get S.M.A.R.T. session is expected to include an activation from the garden area behind the library. What better way to cultivate a hobby for newcomers?

THURSDAY EDITION: Another day in paradise, lots of errands to split up the day. ...it would be a good day to run the coax thru the firewall in the truck that I haave been putting off for a month and get the radio installed....Kriss sends down a video on ideas you can use with your extra electrical tape....

Solar Eclipse One Month Away

A total solar eclipse that will be seen across North America will occur on Monday, April 8th. It will be the last of its kind in the US for the next 20 years.

Hams across North America are asked to participate in a study about how the ionosphere functions by getting on the air to help scientists in a series of ionospheric experiments.  

Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI) has presentations for hams interested in participating on Wednesday, March 27 at 8;00 PM (Eastern) - 5:00 PM (Pacific)*, and that same day at 10:00 PM (Eastern) - 7:00 PM (Pacific)*. Both 30-minute presentations will held on Zoom and they will feature HamSCI's Festivals of Eclipse Ionospheric Science (FoEIS). The presenters will take your questions during the presentations.  

Here is the link to the presentations.  

The program will start by covering HamSCI's basis and purpose, and quickly move into why they are conducting experiments, how hams and shortwave listeners (SWLS) can participate, and what they hope to learn from the event. Along the way, they will discuss why the science behind the event is important to users of the high-frequency radio spectrum - including amateur radio operators!  

Learn about the HamSCI's eclipse-focused operating events:

  Maritime Mobile Planned  

During the solar eclipse, John Landrigan, KA4RXP, will be operating in the SEQP as a maritime mobile off the coast of Mazatlán, Mexico, at the beginning of the total solar eclipse as it transits the Maritime provinces of Canada. Look for KA4RXP/MM around 14.265 MHz.

WEDNESDAY EDITION: Good morning hamsters, a sunny and cold day here on the rock...Spending the morning at the cell tower repeater site reinstalling the just tuned 2 meter duplexers and new jumper cables in anticipation of the tower climbing and new antenna...More good news, Plastic Found Inside More Than 50% of Plaques From Clogged Arteries....

All-
The Southeastern CT Amateur Radio Society will be holding its annual Spring Auction Fundraiser on Saturday April 13, 2024 at the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Hall in Gales Ferry, CT.  Proceeds from this auction are used to sustain our amateur radio club and support our amateur radio community with repeaters, educational programs and activities.  This is a great opportunity for members of your organization to buy or sell amateur radio gear and related items and to meet new hams.  All are welcome to attend.  
Please could you circulate this notice within your organization.  I would be happy to circulate general interest announcements you have to SECARS members in the future.  Please visit our website https://secars.org for more information.  Let me know if you have any questions.
Apologies if you are receiving this e-mail twice - if so, please disregard.  I just received an updated mailing list from ARRL HQ.  
Mark Noe
President, Southeastern CT Amateur Radio Society (SECARS)   

The annual SECARS Spring Auction will be held Saturday, April 13, 2024 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church Hall.

Location: 1650 CT Route 12, Gales Ferry, CT.  Plenty of onsite parking in the rear of the facility, which is also the entrance to the auction.

Time: Setup – 7 AM; Sellers arrive beginning at 8 AM; All others at 9 AM; Auction starts at 10 AM and runs until the last item is sold.

Food: Coffee, tea, water and donuts will be available for purchase, along with hot dogs and soft drinks.

Raffle: SECARS will be offering several prizes with raffle tickets available for purchase.  Details will be updated here shortly.  You must be present to win any raffle prizes.

Talk-in: Talk in is on the SECARS repeater: 146.730 MHz (- offset, PL 156.7 Hz).

Admission: $5 admission fee per participant.

What’s for sale?  Sellers are welcome to bring computer and electronic equipment related to amateur radio, including any type of radio rig, amplifier, antenna, transmission line, station accessories, publications, electronic components, etc.  All items are available for viewing from 9 AM onward.

Auction terms: This is a live auction.  Items will be auctioned in the order chosen by the auctioneer and staff.  You must be present to bid, and all purchased items must be removed before the end of the auction.  Payment is expected the day of the auction by cash, personal check (with ID) or major credit card (with additional 3% fee).  SECARS takes a 10% commission on the sale of any item (minimum commission of $1.00), which is paid by the seller.  Sellers need not be present at the end of the auction to collect payment, although that is highly preferred.  Sellers must remove all of their unsold items by the end of the auction unless other arrangements have been made in advance.  Sellers have the right to set a minimum sale price for any item placed for sale.  Sellers also have the right to place one “free” bid to raise the price of their item during the auction.  All sales are final.

TUESDAY EDITION:

Powerful solar flare eruption from 'sneaky' sunspot triggers widespread radio blackouts (video)

Thanks to the event, minor geomagnetic storm conditions may occur on March 13.

The relatively small, unassuming sunspot AR3599 has been crackling with minor solar flares in recent days — but it surprised everyone by unleashing a strong M7.4 class solar flare on Sunday (March 10) at 8:13 EDT (1213 GMT). 

The flare was also accompanied by a coronal mass ejection (CME) — a large release of plasma and magnetic field from the sun. The CME is barreling through space at around 1.7 million mph (750 km/s), according to spaceweather.com, but to the disappointment of aurora chasers, it's predicted to pass ahead of our planet. However, we can keep our fingers crossed for a possible glancing blow, as suggested by a NASA model, that could trigger minor G1-class geomagnetic storms on March 13.

Just eight minutes after the solar flare erupted, an extensive radio blackout was experienced across Africa and the South Atlantic. According to spaceweather.com, ham radio operators may have experienced signal loss for up to 30 minutes after the flare. Blackouts like this are common after powerful solar flare eruptions occur, as these events release a strong pulse of X-rays and extreme ultraviolet radiation which travel towards Earth at the speed of light. When the radiation hits Earth's atmosphere, it ionizes the upper layer known as the thermosphere — causing shortwave radio blackouts on the portion of Earth that was facing the sun at the time of eruption. 

Solar Eclipse One Month Away

A total solar eclipse that will be seen across North America will occur on Monday, April 8th. It will be the last of its kind in the US for the next 20 years.

Hams across North America are asked to participate in a study about how the ionosphere functions by getting on the air to help scientists in a series of ionospheric experiments.  

Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI) has presentations for hams interested in participating on Wednesday, March 27 at 8;00 PM (Eastern) - 5:00 PM (Pacific)*, and that same day at 10:00 PM (Eastern) - 7:00 PM (Pacific)*. Both 30-minute presentations will held on Zoom and they will feature HamSCI's Festivals of Eclipse Ionospheric Science (FoEIS). The presenters will take your questions during the presentations.  

Here is the link to the presentations.  

The program will start by covering HamSCI's basis and purpose, and quickly move into why they are conducting experiments, how hams and shortwave listeners (SWLS) can participate, and what they hope to learn from the event. Along the way, they will discuss why the science behind the event is important to users of the high-frequency radio spectrum - including amateur radio operators!  

Learn about the HamSCI's eclipse-focused operating events:

  Maritime Mobile Planned  

During the solar eclipse, John Landrigan, KA4RXP, will be operating in the SEQP as a maritime mobile off the coast of Mazatlán, Mexico, at the beginning of the total solar eclipse as it transits the Maritime provinces of Canada. Look for KA4RXP/MM around 14.265 MHz.

ACTIVE HAMS

 K1TP- Jon....Editor of As The World Turns....
WB1ABC- Ari..Bought an amp and now we can here him on 75 meters, worships his wife, obsessed with Id'ing
N1BOW-Phil...Retired broadcast engineer, confused and gullible, cheap, only uses singl ply toilet paper
KB1OWO- Larry...Handsome Fellow ,only cuts lawn in August, plows snow the rest in Jackman, Maine
W1GEK- Big Mike....Nearfest Cook, big motor home, electronics software engineer ...
AA1SB- Neil...Living large traveling the country with his girlfriend...loves CW
N1YX- Igor....peddles quality Russian keys, software engineer
K1BGH...Art.....Restores cars and radio gear, nice fella...
N1XW.....Mike-easy going, Harley riding kind of guy!
K1JEK-Joe...Easy going, can be found at most ham flea market ...Cobra Antenna builder..
KA1GJU- Kriss- Tower climbing pilot who cooks on the side at Hosstrader's...
W1GWU-Bob....one of the Hosstrader's original organizers, 75 meter regular, Tech Wizard!!!
K1PV- Roger....75 meter regular, easy going guy...
W1XER...Scott....easy going guy, loves to split cordwood and hunt...
KB1VX- Barry- the picture says it all, he loves food!
KC1BBU- Bob....the Mud Duck from the Cape Cod Canal, making a lot of noise.
W1STS- Scott...philosopher, hat connoisseur,
KB1JXU- Matthew...75 meter regular...our token liberal Democrat out of Florida
K1PEK-Steve..Founder of Davis-RF....my best friend from high school 
K9AEN-John...Easy going ham found at all the ham fests
K1BQT.....Rick....very talented ham, loves his politics, has designed gear for MFJ...
W1KQ- Jim-  Retired Air Force Controller...told quite a few pilots where to go!
N1OOL-Jeff- The 3936 master plumber and ragchewer...
K1BRS-Bruce- Computer Tech of 3936...multi talented kidney stone passing ham...
K1BGH- Arthur, Cape Cod, construction company/ice cream shop, hard working man....
W1VAK- Ed, Cape Cod, lots of experience in all areas, once was a Jacques Cousteus body guard....
K1BNH- Bill- Used to work for a bottled gas company-we think he has been around nitrous oxide to long
W1HHO- Cal...3941 group
K1MPM- Pete...3941 group
WA1JFX- Russell...3941

SILENT KEYS

Silet Key KA1BXB-Don...Regular on 3900 mornings....just don't mention politics to him, please!
Silent Key N1IOM- 3910 colorful regular
Silent Key WS1D- Warren- "Windy" - Bullnet
Silent Key KMIG-Rick....75 Meter Regular....teaches the future of mankind, it's scary!
Silent Key Neil -K1YPM .....a true gentleman
Silent Key K1BXI- John.........Dr. Linux....fine amateur radio op ....wealth of experience...
Silent KeyVA2GJB- Graham...one of the good 14313 guys back in the day.
Silent Key K1BHV- David...PITA
Silent Key W1JSH- Mort...Air Force man
Silent Key K1MAN--Glen....PITA
Silent KeyKB1CJG-"Cobby"- Low key gent can be found on many of the 75 meter nets.........
Silent KeyWB1AAZ- Mike, Antrim, NH, auto parts truck driver-retired
Silent KeyWB1DVD- Gil....Gilly..Gilmore.....easy going, computer parts selling, New England Ham..
Silent Key W1OKQ- Jack....3936 Wheeling and Dealing......keeping the boys on there toes....
Silent Key W1TCS- Terry....75 meter regular, wealth of electronic knowledge...
Silent Key WIPNR- Mack....DXCC Master, worked them all!.. 3864 regular for many years...
Silent Key WILIM- Hu....SK at 92... 3864 regular for many years...
Silent Key N1SIE- Dave....Loves to fly
Silent Key:N1WBD- Big Bob- Tallest ham, at 6'10", of the 3864 group
Silent Key: W1FSK-Steve....Navy Pilot, HRO Salesman, has owned every radio ever built!
Silent Key: W4NTI-Vietnam Dan....far from easy going cw and ssb op on 14275/313
Silent Key:K1FUB-Bill- Loved ham radio....